Show Me How To Lie
by Codename-SN
Summary: There is much left unsaid about the happy persona of our favorite blond protagonist. [A one-shot about the origins of Naruto's well-crafted mask.]


**Show Me How To Lie**

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 _ **Author —** **Codename-SN**_

 _ **Beta — EverythingwillbeDaijoubu**_

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 **Disclaimer :** I absolutely do not own the series Naruto. You don't need to rub salt on my wound... TT^TT

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 _:Drip:_

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 _:Drop:_

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 _:Drip:_

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A pair of glossy obsidian orbs watched as the residual droplets of the downpour dripped down from the ledge above the window. It had been one of those sudden showers that lasted only a handful of minutes. The seemingly normal day had turned dark for a brief moment, the falling rain feeling as though the heavens were crying out in anguish before it again faded back into a sunny day.

It was strangely fascinating.

After a few seconds of silent observation, the owner of the aforementioned eyes tilted his head up towards the sky, his perch on the window-sill giving him a perfect view of the wide expanse of cobalt as the dark clouds slowly dispersed. The unnamed person was currently guarding a small boy, more out of worry than duty, who was fast asleep on the hospital bed. Looking so _small_ and _frail_ , wrapped in ivory bandages and the hospital bed almost swallowing him whole. The room was plain and not unlike the other rooms, and really, there was not much in the room that could be considered ' _soothing to sore eyes_ '. What with the stark white setting. Thus, it was no wonder that the male was looking at the sky.

Well, he _could_ watch the boy... but that would be somewhat creepy. Even though the pre-teen was rather inept in social etiquette, he, mercifully, at least knew where to draw the lines.

An inaudible sigh escaped his lips as his thoughts strayed towards the reason they actually had to suffer through the blaring whiteness. The smell of antiseptic did not do much to help either. The dark haired boy was aware of the resentment, hate, prejudice and unfairness the blond faced on a daily basis. From the very people the boy was protecting no less. He was also aware, unlike the actual victim, of the reason for such mistreatment. Which did not make anything better. It only showed how _narrow-minded_ and _selfish_ humans are. Although _knowing_ that, he had not _understood_ the exact extent of the hatred the citizens held for the innocent boy. Not until he became the boy's guard a few months ago, that is.

 _(Contempt and disdain overwhelmed the streets. The menacing aura,_ suf **focat** _ing._ _The glares,_ **burn** _ing_ , _sc_ orc _h **ing** —) _

To say he was repulsed, would be like saying that Maito Gai was only a ' _bit_ ' youthful.

Most of the villagers went out of their way to make the blond's life as miserable as humanly possible. If it was not for Sandaime's timely intervention, he feared that the boy would have long been dead. It was only a question of whether it would have been from malnutrition, or the physical attacks on his person. He had to force down the bile rising to his throat at the mere thought of them actually _succeeding_ , which had been a huge possibility this time around.

For some reason, it all seemed oddly planned.

 _(Ano... Anbu-san? Could you please wait a moment?—)_

Down to the fact that the Raven-masked ANBU had been continuously interrupted on his way to the blond. For _menial_ requests and tasks no less, things that _anybody_ else could have done. What made it worse, was the fact that a few ANBU operatives had also participated in stalling him. Whether it was intentional or not, remained to be verified. So, it was with no small amount of sadistic satisfaction that he had smiled at their reactions when he coldly brushed past them.

He still could not come to the conclusion on whether it was by coincidence or meticulous planning. However, he knew for sure that the feeling of dread he felt in that moment was surely _not_ a hallucination.

He was proven correct not much later.

Apparently, during the time when the dark haired boy was battling through the frustrating inconveniences, someone had the brilliant idea of hiding a chain of explosive tags on the inside walls of the blond's apartment door. Which was triggered just as the child opened the door. He did not even manage to jump back in time to avoid getting the full brunt of the blast.

That stunt, at the very least, proved that the person had some decent shinobi training. The list of possible culprits had suddenly shortened.

 _(Charred hallway, broken walls, the rising smoke almost seemed mocking. The smell of burned flesh was thick in the air.._. _Na_ ru **to**! _—)_

For a moment, not that he would admit it out loud, the raven felt his heart stop upon seeing the unresponsive body of the boy. Thankfully, his shinobi training had kicked-in then and he quickly Shunshin'ed them both to the hospital, because even though there were people who disliked the blond there, at least it was _safer_. The ANBU had released a relieved breath when the doctor informed him of the boy's condition, which was surprisingly stable, even after receiving second and third-degree burns, and was recovering steadily. They suspected that the demon's chakra had something do with that.

The same being who was a _curse_ for the blond was, apparently, the very reason he was even alive. Such was the irony of the situation, but he digressed. There were much more pressing concerns that needed his attention.

As he was waiting outside, when the medics worked on the child, he had sent a Kage bunshin to report the incident to the aged Hokage. To say that the Sandaime had been upset, was putting it mildly. He had been livid. Clearing out his schedule for the day, the professor had summoned his most trusted ANBU operatives, baring Karasu, to issue an official mission of catching the cause of the explosion; putting emphasis on the point that any form of bias was not going to be tolerated.

 _(... I said, do you **understand?!** —)_

That was before the acting Hokage came to visit his pseudo-grandson in the hospital who, now that he thought about it, had yet to regain consciousness. When his eyes involuntarily strayed towards the unconscious figure, the dark-haired boy could not help but think that the sickly pallor did not really suit the blond.

"Ka-.. Karasu-nii..?" The moment of, slightly depressing, silent contemplation was interrupted by a weak whisper, the vulnerability of it effectively shaking him out of his reverie.

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Unfocused, azure orbs stared at the blackboard in a daze, not really seeing anything, but at the same time gazing at something that only he could see. Almost a week had passed since that explosive incident and the blond child had not spoken out as much as he used to. Really, what could he _say_? The only coherent thoughts on his mind were an innumerable amount of questions... Questions, he knew would not be _answered_ , so why bother? Oh, he knew that most of the villagers hated him. He could hear the whispers that wished ill-will towards him, even when they tried to be as discreet as possible.

Well, they thought they were being inconspicuous. What they did not know, and he had no intention of letting them know, was that his ears had always been more sensitive than what was considered to be normal. Unless normal included being able to pick up the slightest of sounds for miles, if he concentrated enough. Not that he could really claim to be normal, because as far as he knew, ' _normal_ ' children were not ostracized like he was.

 _(Taunting smirks, disdainful sneers, mocking laughter.._ dem _ **on** —)_

What he desperately wanted to know, was why. Why was he hated so? Resented so much that someone attempted to take his life.

That was something that had shaken him to the core. He could not fathom why anyone would want to kill a child. He had never been injured so severely, up until the incident that is. Sure, the shopkeepers refused him entry into their shops, and he was not allowed to play with any of the other kids. True, he was _shunned_ , spoken badly about, glared at and blamed for something he didn't even know about. Moreover, the taunts and jabs of some teenagers, sometimes intensified with several things thrown at him, did not even fully register in his mind. Even when there were direct attacks at him, he only got minor injuries that healed in hours.

 _(No one wants you here! Why don't you just go and die?! Go **away** , you—)_

Which would have, perhaps, temporarily disabled a normal person. But as he had already pointed out, he was anything but.

 _(Rotten fruits, eggs, and what else was there again?_ Mommy said you're a _**monster**_! _Yeah! And monsters need to **die**! Save us some trouble and—)_

Those were only mentally and emotionally, only sometimes physically, harmful. Nothing that indicated towards life threatening intentions. He could have lived with that, albeit with a fragile sanity, but he would have been alive nonetheless.

 _(It was not their fault, really... They were just following their parents. He didn't know what was worse. Parent's unreasonable hatred or their children's blind foolishness—)_

The citizens had not displayed any intent towards killing him until then. So he could not help but ask _why_. The answer he received, however, made him wish he had never known. It was the third evening since his discharge from the hospital, and he had been walking back to his apartment after a quick meal at Ichiraku's. As he was about to turn around a corner, hushed voices reached his ears. The blond boy could not stop his automatic response of ducking backwards behind a utility pole and eavesdrop on their conversation.

What he heard, though, had chilled the blood in his veins.

He could not remember for exactly how long he stood there, with his breath frozen in his lungs. What he _could_ remember however, was walking to his apartment as though in a trance and the way his hands shook, even as he collapsed on top of his bed. He felt like laughing, _hysterically_ , because suddenly his whole life felt like a bad joke.

They truly wanted him to _die_.

 _(.. Did you hear? ..About that explosion?_ Yeah, it's a shame that _**thing**_ lived. _I know, right? I mean it would be so much better if..—)_

It was not as though they were hiding their thoughts, the blond just did not want to accept it. Nor did he want to accept the fact that the people he would later swear to protect, after becoming a Shinobi, only wanted him dead. And for what? Just because he was a little better than average kids? Because he could become a threat to them if he got stronger? Because he was a _monster_?

 _(... Damn. I thought this time we could get rid of it!_ Oh, hush. You shouldn't be speaking so loudly. Sandaime-sama had been absolutely **furious**! We could go to jail! _Ugh... I don't get why he even allows that monster to **live** —)_

Why was he trying to gain their acknowledgment again? Inwardly, he could not help but think just how ridiculous the situation was and, of course, the fact that denial was not a pretty thing. Just as the older boy once told him.

He wished Karasu was there.

The young blond really missed him, even if it had only been a couple of days since the ANBU left for a mission. Something he was not privy to. The dark haired male was the only one, aside from the Hokage and the Ichiraku owners, who treated him like an actual _person_ ; treated him as though his company was _appreciated_ instead of being disgusted by his very existence.

He still remembered the day Sandaime had introduced the short, but still taller than him, ANBU as his new guardian.

At first, he had not been too sure if he could trust the guy. It was not uncommon, as opposed to the expected behavior from one of the elites, when his previous guards would sometimes forget to be present at times. They were a little creepy too. Thus, he did not like them. He gave the guy a chance, though, his Jiji had chosen Karasu personally, after all. The Gothic male, not much older than the blond himself, did not disappoint. Slowly, but surely, he had made his way onto his favorites list... Just after ramen, that is.

Even if the older boy did not speak much, he was always there when it truly _mattered_.

The blond listened with half a mind as the recess bell rang, indicating the start of the lunch hour. It was all for naught as he barely shifted from his position on the bench, even as the rest of the class burst in a cacophony of noises and went outside in a mad rush. The azure-eyed boy knew he should eat something, but he really did not feel like it. With a weary sigh, he decided to snuggle closer into the crook of his arm.

He _really_ wished Karasu was there.

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Dark eyes gazed down at the younger boy in slight apprehension. He did not know what to expect from the little bundle of... unpredictable-ness.

Yes, he knew ' _unpredictable-ness_ ' was not an actual word, but it helped describe the blond, did it not?

It had been two weeks since that unfortunate night, and if what he heard was correct, the blond had rarely left the confines of his apartment since then. Going to the school seemed to be the only exception to his self-imposed hiding. The brunet had been away due to a mission for the better part of those two weeks and returned only to receive this distressing news as a ' _welcome back_ '. Only after he was within the walls of his room did Karasu allow himself to drift off in thought. Conjuring hypothetical reasons as to why it happened. Even as he did that, he _knew,_ just why exactly the child would shut himself inside his apartment. At times like this, rare as they may be, he wished he was a little better at comforting someone. Nevertheless, after a short mental debate, he decided that it would be better just to visit the boy.

The pre-teen had vehemently hoped the boy would not ask the dreaded ' _why'_. He was bound by law, as it was, and he did not want to see the accusation of being just like the rest in his blue eyes.

The youth internally grimaced at the thought.

 _(I'll call you Nii-san! You don't mind, right? Right?!—)_

During the months he had been guarding the blond, he had not expected to get so attached to the boy. At all. However, when did the expected ever actually happen with this sunshine-haired youth? The dark haired ANBU had, of course, known that there was more to the boy than what the rumors had implied. They were, after all, completely biased. As he slowly came to know the boy personally, he had been left _speechless_ by the mere fact that even though the blond had seen the worst side of humans, more than a child his age should have, he had never lost his innocence, his unwavering kindness and unbelievably forgiving nature that he had developed _despite_ the world working against him.

 _(Of course I had to! She was being **bullied**! And bullies are mean. I should know—)_

The villagers could not see that. Their eyes being eternally clouded by pure hate and prejudice... Just as they could not see the pain in those brilliant, cerulean orbs. The sadness and loneliness that swam in its endless, watery depths.

Something that should not be present there.

The raven-haired boy had always thought that his cobalt eyes were captivatingly beautiful. Not just because of their color, but rather, they were beautiful because of the emotions and unspoken words they held within them. Especially when they shone with such unadulterated happiness.

To say he was enchanted by the small blond, would really be an understatement.

It was no wonder, that he felt uncomfortable at the thought of the boy being upset with him. Hence, the pre-teen had been shocked when the blond had tackled him in a hug before he could even utter a word. After which, the younger of two proceeded to babble about his worries and fears to the other. The once vibrant cobalt blue seemingly dull with weariness and defeat.

 _(Tears threatened to fall from the boy's eyes and when he spoke, his voice was so unusually **quiet** —)_

The Onyx-eyed boy did not wish to see that sight ever again.

 _(...I- I'm not a monster... Right? I **didn't**... I—)_

After calming the blond down, the Anbu tried his best to reassure him that he was not a demon or monster or _anything_ remotely close to _that_. Tucking him under the covers, the raven told the younger boy not to worry about anyone harming him as long as he was there. It seemed, he had absently noted, that the villagers needed to be reminded of the Sandaime's law. Their current attitude was unacceptable.

Now, a day later, he found himself gazing at determined azure eyes of the blond. So, of course, apprehension was warranted. Truly, when after a few minutes the younger male opened his mouth to speak, what came out was something entirely _unexpected_.

"Show me how to lie."

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 **| The End. |**

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 **Edit : 10/24/2015**

 **01/30/2016 — Version 2.0**

 **04/17/2016 — Version 2.01**

 **A huge thanks to my beta —** **EverythingwillbeDaijoubu— for editing this! I can finally stop worrying about my poor grammar. They will be my permanent, sort of, beta-reader from on. A blessing really, since it's very difficult to find one!**

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 **Trivia :**

1) This one-shot was born due to the phrase 'show me how to lie'. (The reason its the title) I was going through my downloaded videos and happen to play a song which started with it. The funny thing is that rest of the song doesn't have anything to do with this.

2) I'm absolutely NOT going to expand on this. It was a one-shot and that's it.

3) Writing Itachi's POV, even if it's in the third person, is a pain. Really. Naru's POV, in contrast, was a breeze for me! However, it was my self-imposed mission to write mostly in Itachi's POV. Tell me if I did a good job, k? Or if it was bad.

 ** _Ja ne~_**


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